Introduction
I always hate these comparisons when the Nexus 5 – or any Nexus device – is involved. No matter what I say or what specs are in black & white, the Nexus lovers will come out of the woodwork to defend their device and condemn me straight to hell. But comparisons are a must and please do not say this is last year’s Nexus model – it is less than a year old and must stand scrutiny to the flagships after it…but rest assured, when the Nexus 6 comes out, we will be back to compare it to the new Moto X. That being said, let’s take a look at these two devices and see where they are similar.
Both devices are closer in many areas than you might think – they both use Full HD displays, which means a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and both are almost the same size (Nexus at 4.95-inches vs 5.2-inches on the Moto)…however, the Moto is of the AMOLED technology and the Nexus uses the IPS+ LCD technology. There are two different camps here and neither one will admit the other is better than the one that they like, so we will not discuss it further.
Both devices have 2GB of RAM and both offer 16GB or 32GB of internal storage and neither one has a microSD card slot to expand that memory. Google, who still happens to technically own Motorola officially and the Nexus 5, made by LG to Google’s specs, wants us to start using the cloud for our data storage, and the device only for the apps – if you think the way Google does, then 32GB is plenty of space.
Both of these devices also have the same 2300mAh battery size and both are non-removable. Even their size is very similar, with the Moto X slightly larger and weighing 14 grams heavier, and they both are sporting Android 4.4.4 KitKat.
This looks like it is going to make this decision even tougher with so many similarities, but look over the detailed specifications below so you can see exactly how they stack up against one another. After that we will look at each one on an individual basis and explore their differences so we can make an informed decision on which device is worthy of being the winner in this comparison.
Specifications
Moto X (2104)
Motorola took what was already a great product and made it better in every way. The display jumped up to 5.2-inches and to a Full HD display. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor is a step up from the 800 model found in the Nexus 5. Motorola, never known for good cameras, has really made an effort in the new Moto X with a 13MP shooter with a Dual-LED flash ring that mounts around the camera lens, and auto focus – pictures Alex has taken so far look very good. The 2MP front-facing camera is slightly better than the 1.3MP of the Nexus 5 – used for video chatting and selfies.
Motorola included some very useful technical features in the new Moto X, not found on the Nexus 5, such as this addition of 4 microphones for noise cancellation on phone calls. Next, they designed Dynamic Tuning, which allows the antenna reception to ‘move’ depending on where you held your Moto X – increasing reception up to 500-percent. Motorola included a great sounding speaker on the front of the Moto X – much better than the small one on the bottom of the Nexus 5. Then there is the Motorola Turbo Charger option – a $34.95 accessory allows the user to get eight full hours of use with only a 15-minute charge. Moto Voice, or Touchless Control, Moto Assist, Moto Display and Moto Actions all make the Moto X an exceptional daily device.
Lastly, the looks – as I mentioned in the introduction, the design is easy and comfortable to hold, and simply a nice looking device, especially with the custom wood or leather backings.
Nexus 5
The LG built Nexus 5 is a great device; however, Nexus was never about high-end specs, just good solid value in a smartphone. Google’s Nexus devices are all about pushing the pure Android operating system and the fastest updates – almost like a live test device for Android.
The Nexus 5 is the closest to a high-end smartphone that Google has produced. They upped the screen size to 5-inches and moved up to a Full HD display…although nothing that bests the Moto X. The snapdragon 800 is a terrific processor, but not as good as the Snapdragon 801 or the GPU of the Moto X. The 8MP camera in the Nexus 5 does include OIS, but the pictures are still not up to the standards of the new Moto X, although they have improved slightly with software upgrades. There are no real technological advances in the Nexus 5 like Motorola included in the new Moto X.
As we said earlier, the Nexus 5 is great value at $349 for 16GB and $399 for 32GB – that is off contract, but sadly, it does not work on all networks.
…And the Winner is…
Summary
I am sorry Nexus 5 fans, but there is no other choice but the new Moto X as the winner of this comparison. It starts with looks – the Nexus 5 has a very utilitarian look while the Moto X, though not flashy by any means, is just a sweeter ride – the curved back and the option of wood or leather just make it a better-looking phone. The Snapdragon 801 clocked at 2.5GHz is simply better a better processor with improvements all around, especially in the graphics area. The camera is a step up in megapixels and Dual LED Flash.
The other place is the ‘extras’ – the Nexus series has never been one big on options, after all for the price you pay it is quite a bargain – but here the Moto X is clearly ahead, and not just gimmicky items, but features that offer an improved user experience. Extra microphones (4), front mounted speaker, Dynamic Tuning and the optional Motorola Turbo Charger. The price, though not as low as the Nexus 5, is a very reasonable $99 on a two-year contract and $499 with no contract and works on all major networks.
Please hit us up on our Google+ Page and let us know which device you would have chosen as the winner of this comparison…as always, we would love to hear from you.